Hydrangea plant named ‘2001’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘2001’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; strong stems; durable leaves; large inflorescences; and inflorescences with blue-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘2001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea hybrida, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name 2001.

The new Hydrangea is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and Glandorf, Germany. Theobjective of the breeding program was to create new stronger-growingHydrangeas with attractive flower bract coloration and no vernalizationrequirement.

The new Hydrangea originated from a cross-pollination conducted inAalsmeer, The Netherlands on Jul. 20, 1999 of a proprietary selection ofHydrangea hybrida identified as code number 98102-04, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hydrangeahybrida identified as code number 98003, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The cultivar 2001 was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Glandorf, Germany onMar. 14, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings atGlandorf, Germany, since Mar. 15, 2003, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Hydrangea are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar 2001 have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘2001’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘2001’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Strong stems.    -   3. Durable leaves.    -   4. Large inflorescences.    -   5. Inflorescences with blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of female parentselection primarily in plant size as plants of the new Hydrangea aremore compact than plants of the female parent selection. In addition,plants of the new Hydrangea have thicker lateral branches than plants ofthe female parent selection. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ fromplants of male parent selection primarily in flower coloration as plantsof the new male parent selection have lighter blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of the cultivarBlauling, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inGlandorf, Germany, plants of the new Hydrangea differed from plants ofthe cultivar Blauling in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea were more compact and had shorter        internodes than plants of the cultivar Blauling.    -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea had larger inflorescences and        flowers than plants of the cultivar Blauling.    -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea and the cultivar Blauling        differed in flower coloration as plants of the cultivar Blauling        had lighter blue-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the unique appearance ofthe new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newHydrangea. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalplant of ‘2001’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in theaforementioned photograph and in the following description were grown inGlandorf, Germany, in 15-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse andunder conditions which closely approximate commerial productionconditions. During the production of the plants, day and nighttemperatures were about 17° C. Plants of the new Hydrangea were grown ina soilless media with a pH level of about 4.4. Plants were about oneyear old when the photograph and description were taken. The photographand description were taken during the late winter/early spring.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea hybrida cultivar 2001.-   Parentage:    -   -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Hydrangea hybrida            selection identified as code number 98102-04, not patented.        -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Hydrangea hybrida            selection identied as code number 98003, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 23° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, summer.—About            four weeks at 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, winter.—About            five weeks at 18° C.        -   Root description.—Thick; white to brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form/growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.            Strong lateral branches; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 25 to            30 cm.        -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 40 cm.        -   Branching habit.—When pinched, freely branching with about            seven lateral branches per plant.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 to 25 cm. Diameter: About            5 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Strength: Strong. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Foliage description.—Leaves large, simple, opposite and            durable. Length: About 9 cm. Width: About 6.5 cm. Shape:            Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Dentate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth to rugose;            glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and            fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close            to 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A.            Petiole: Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single flat flowers arranged on            terminal panicles; panicles large and flattened            hemispherical. Flowers face mostly outward. Flowers            persistant. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Intermittent flowering during the            summer in Northern Europe.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three months on the            plant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 140 fertile and            sterile flowers per panicle.        -   Panicle diameter.—About 16 cm.        -   Panicle height.—About 4 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 5 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 145D.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl. Length: About            4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and            lower surfaces: 145D. Fully opened, upper surface: 74C;            color becoming closer to 75A with development. Fully opened,            lower surface: 75A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Four, fused into a calyx.            Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Deltoid to            orbicular. Apex: Retuse. Base: Cuneate to attenuate. Margin:            Entire; undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 1D.            Fully opened, upper surface: 74D. Fully opened, lower            surface: 75A.        -   Pedicels.—Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength:            Strong. Length: About 1 to 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 to 6 mm.            Color: 58C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About            three. Anther shape: Conical. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: 156A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            Close to 155D. Pistils: Pistil quantity per flower: About            eight. Pistil length: About 3 to 4 mm. Stigma shape: Oval.            Stigma color: 83A. Style length: About 2 to 3 mm. Style            color: 77C. Ovary color: 70C. Seed: Length: About 1 mm.            Diameter: About 0.2 mm. Color: Brownish.-   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,    plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed to be resistant    to pathogens or pests common to Hydrangea.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown    to be tolerant to temperature ranging from about 3 to about 38° C.

1. A new an distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘2001’, asillustrated and described.